Tag: Brie Larson

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE – Review

April brings those showers, which may bring May flowers, and bring big box office returns for the movie studios. That’s because one of Pixar’s biggest rivals, Illumination Animation, is joining them in getting a two-month head start on the race for the usual Summer cartoon feature crown. Before Ryan Gosling blasted into space, Pixar’s HOPPERS ruled the multiplex. Now this new flick isn’t another entry in Illumination’s almost unlimited franchise DESPICABLE ME, nor those MINIONS. The studio has acquired some notable IPs, mainly the literary library of Dr. Seuss. But its biggest “get” was the deal with Nintendo, which spawned a worldwide ticket-buying tsunami almost three years ago. And so it’s no huge surprise that those heroic pumbers and their pals have returned in THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE. Game on…

This one begins in a different world as Princess Rosalina (voice of Brie Larson) is getting the glowing star-like creatures called Lumas ready for bed (after a story, of course). But the “quiet time” is shattered by the arrival of a hulking robot/tank outside the castle. After a valiant effort, Rosalina is captured by the operator of the “war machine”, Bowser, Jr. (Benny Safdie). But one of the frightened Lumas manages to escape. Meanwhile, in the Mushroom Kingdom, those Brooklyn-born brother plumbers, Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), are “on call”, along with a new assistant, the green baby-dinosaur-like creature Yoshi (Donald Glover), who can swallow almost anything and discharge it through his body in an egg. Mario’s a bit preoccupied since the big birthday celebration for Princess Peach (Anja Taylor-Joy) is later that day (he wants to give her a parasol and …his heart). The party is crashed by the escaped Luma, who tells them of the attack by Bowser’s son. Peach decides to mount a rescue of her “long lost” sister (they separated when Peach was a toddler), but they’ll need to bring along an unlikely ally, the now imprisoned and minaturized Bowser, Sr. (Jack Black). But can he really be trusted? And can this motley crew, including the mushroom Toad (Keegan Michael-Key), find Rosalina before Bowser, Jr. drains her of her magic energy, despite the addition of a new ally, the swashbuckling space pilot Fox McCloud (Glen Powell) and his flying squad?

Well, as is said with many sequels and franchise installments, if you enjoyed the first one, you’ll probably like this one (I suppose you could also say that about fast food spots, really). I wish I could work up more enthusiasm (mine is easy to “curb”), but I haven’t been part of Mario’s world since dropping many, many quarters in various arcade devices right after college (you can probably guess the year). And this flick feels as though you’re standing over somebody’s shoulder who is very…uh… proficient with the joystick (I’m stifling a “heh. heh.”) But then the youngsters love to watch countless streaming videos of folks racking up the big “scores’ on the games. So, this will easily satisfy the legions of fans, but there’s little to hook those “uninitiated”. Mind you, from an animation aficionado’s viewpoint, the look of the movie is pretty spectacular, packed to the brim with colors and bursting effects that seem to break out of the big screen. The script is just so-so, with most of the best lines going to Black and Safdie as the “Bowser bunch”. The returning voices are on the same level as the 2023 original. The new additions aren’t given much of a chance to shine, as Larson is in her MCU mode, while Powell is a more energetic “space jockey (think a younger “harrier” Han Solo). There are a couple of “name” cameos (Luis Guzman and Issa Rae), but I was pleased about a few cartoon voice vets who scored big roles, namely Kevin Michael Richardson as the wizard-like Kamek. The same trio of directors also returns, stuffing the film to the brim (and spilling over a bit) with settings and side characters, some extremely sweet (my teeth) and cute, from the popular game series, so the wee ones will be engaged, while the near-nonstop bouncing and frenetic stunts might pummel the “civilians” into slumber. I can respect the craft, though it all feels like an effort to re-energize the “brand” while not trying to expand its scope. But why am I kvetching, since it should swiftly zip past the billion-dollar box office mark, with another epic already being planned? Still, it would be nice if it grabbed us in the “feels” like those “returning soon” toys and those HOPPERS. While those die-hard players will give it unlimited stars, I can only muster up…

2 Out of 4

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE is now playing in theatres everywhere

First Look At Yoshi In THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE

Yoshi joins the adventure in this latest video for THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE, in theaters April 1.

The voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Kevin Michael Richardson and Brie Larson.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is an animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros., and follows The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was released in 2023 and earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide. Both the 2023 film and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie are produced by Chris Meledandri of Illumination and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo.

The film will be co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo and will be released worldwide by Universal Pictures. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is directed by returning filmmakers Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, from a screenplay by returning screenwriter Matthew Fogel, with Brian Tyler returning to compose the score.

https://www.thesupermariogalaxymovie.com

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE

THE MARVELS -Review

Face front, true believers! This year we’ve had three multiplex visits to the realm of the “Distinguished Competition”, so you didn’t think the MCU would end 2023 with treks into Quantumania and Knowhere (hangout of those Galaxy Guardians)? Oh no, Smilin’ Stan wouldn’t want the fifteenth anniversary of the Studio to conclude without one more adventure. And it’s a sequel to a 2019 film that introduced the cosmic Carol Danvers, while also being somewhat of an expansion of her saga. That’s because she’s not completely going solo (oh, her old spy pal returns too) as she’s joined by two characters that made their heroic debuts on Disney+. Together this titanic trio is on a mission to save us all as THE MARVELS.

The action starts in a distant galaxy as a fleet of ships from the Kree empire converge on a desolate planet. The surface party led by the high-ranking officer Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) retrieves a familiar-looking “bangle”. Slipping it on her forearm, Dar-Benn creates a “hole” in the sky, a gateway “hopper” to other galaxies. And this hardware creates some unexpected chaos, reaching all the way to Jersey City, USA. That’s where Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) AKA Ms. Marvel is enjoying a quiet day in her super-hero decorated bedroom, upstairs from her parents, Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff) and Yusuf (Mohan Kapur) and big bro Aamir (Saagar Shaikh). Meanwhile, near the S.A.B.R.E. space platform, Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), who possesses light-based superpowers, is checking out one of those “space schisms” as Colonel Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) listens and observes. When Monica touches the glowering “hole” she switches places with Kamala and the protector of planets, Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) AKA Captain Marvel. The three continue zipping back and forth until a battle with Kree mercenaries ends. It’s decided that the three heroes must learn to work together as a team to stop Dar-Benn who wants to use the “gateways” to exact revenge on Danvers by destroying the worlds she loves, including her old home, Earth.

Though this is her third major appearance as the cosmic crusader (after a quick cameo in SHANG CHI), Larson brings an extra dimension to this story’s “big gun”. Yes, there is a steely confidence that conveys her strength without needing a “modified” uniform, but there’s also a bit of sadness. Despite the company of her trusty flerken Goose, we can see that her role of the “monitor of everything” quietly cruising the stars had taken its toll. And we see her remorse after a well-intentioned act went sideway earning her the unwanted moniker of “The Annihilator” (her downcast eyes tell us that this word truly hurts). But we see her mood lighten when meeting her “number one fan” Kamala played with buoyant energy by the bouncy Iman. She’s a bundle of sunshine, showing us that being a superhero can be fun (unlike the brooding folks at the other comics company). Temper that with her superb comedic timing and Ms. Vellani is certainly the MVP of this MCU entry (and you really should stream her solo series). Parris as the soon-to-be-named Photon is in the middle area of the other two characters as she does have a past with Danvers. Their reunion is awkward and melancholy as Danvers had promised to return to Monica, but couldn’t keep her word. She can’t be the “lil’ sister” to Carol, unlike Kamala, but Parris gives us hints that the emotional wound may be fading. Plus she scores a few laughs as she tries to hone her unusual abilities.

The main supporter of the “big three”, maybe their “Dutch Uncle, is the always entertaining Jackson in his fifteenth turn (including TV) as the stalwart spy turned “space cop”. He’s still an old school hard…case, but he lets us know with a hint of a wink in that “one good eye”, that he’s very impressed with this new team and has to control the urge to flash a beaming proud smile. He’s a great “straight man” for the “emotionally available” members of the Khan family. Their leader is the imposing Shroff, who is tough on daughter Kamala, but is also her biggest defender and a fierce “mama bear”. Kapur as the “papa bear’ is more of a pushover, but always attempts to offer aide, though it results in some slapstick with Shaikh as the baffled but loving big brother. As for the “big baddie,” Ashton projects a cool often unreadable menace as Dar-Benn, who believes her cause is just as she sets out to punish Carol while ending her peoples’ suffering. She’s more interesting than the other Kree villain Ronan (the first Guardian foe) as she has the noble pursuits of Thanos mixed with the rage of Star Trek’s Khan. Turning in good performances in brief roles are Gary Lewis as a somber Skrull leader and Park Seo-joon as a most helpful prince who has a diplomatic “bond” with Carol.

Once more Marvel Studios has handed the directing reigns to a talented filmmaker mainly known for “indies” (though her CANDYMAN reboot was more high profile), Nia DaCosta, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik. DaCosta makes good use of this bigger “canvas” and stages some impressive action sequences along with some scenes of old school “disaster”, especially the razing of the Skrull sanctuary. And she conveys some claustrophobic tension in the big attack on the Khan cottage. She is also adept in the comedy stretches, whether the rat-a-tat interplay between the three leads or the slapstick silliness of the Flerken (CGI can be silly). Happily, she also keeps the story briskly paced, so that it doesn’t have the “epic bloat” of many recent fantasy flicks, bringing it to a nice 105-minute runtime. In hindsight, a couple of extra minutes could have been used to better “flesh out” the masterplan of the “wormholes”, but the grand bonus “bits’ will leave MCU fans with big grins during the walk out to the parking lot. It may not have the emotional gravitas of the last MCU outing (oh Rocket Racoon), but the engaging performances from the cast (more, more Ms. Vellani) make us want to soar through the stars with THE MARVELS.

3 Out of 4

THE MARVELS is now playing in theatres everywhere

Dar-Benn, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel and Captain Monica Rambeau Are Featured In THE MARVELS Trailer

THE MARVELS. © 2023 MARVEL.

Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel and Captain Monica Rambeau go HIGHER. FURTHER. FASTER. TOGETHER. in an exciting new trailer for Marvel Studios’ feature film “The Marvels,” opening in theaters on November 10.  

The film is sequel to Disney+’s WandaVision, Ms. Marvel and Secret Invasion – all amazing and intriguing series.

Check out the trailer

Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe.

Zawe Ashton as Dar-Benn in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.

When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.” 

Dar-Benn, whose powers are revealed in this video, is an revolutionary Accuser for the Kree Empire, who’s fighting to restore her homeland after a long civil war. At the end of Eternals, audiences saw Avenger Dane Whitman, AKA Black Knight, and could figure into this and future MCU films in connection to the Kree Supreme Intelligence. A demanding and unforgiving ruler, Dar-Benn comes to believe that all members of the old regime should be eradicated, including Kree enforcer Ronan the Accuser.

Zawe Ashton as Dar-Benn in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.

Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.

Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels” stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Nia DaCosta directs with Kevin Feige producing. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Mary Livanos, Jonathan Schwartz and Matthew Jenkins serve as executive producers. The screenplay is by Megan McDonnell, Nia DaCosta, Elissa Karasik and Zeb Wells.

Brie Larson as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo by Laura Radford. © 2023 MARVEL.

FAST X – Review

So, I stated in a review from a couple of weeks ago that the Summer movie season has officially begun with the early May foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And just when does the movie madness kick in, where’s the big action blockbusters? Well, it goes full-throttle right now as we shift (see what I’m doing here) from the MCU to the F&FU (maybe I should leave off that last letter). We can officially call this one of our most enduring film franchises as it’s now well over 21 (so don’t imbibe before sliding into the driver’s seat). This weekend, and for a few weeks thereafter, action enthusiasts will buckle up at the multiplex for FAST X. And man, you can pop your corn on those searing engines.


Just like today’s big streaming release, this one starts with a flashback, to the big stunt set piece from FAST FIVE. That’s when our heroes trekked to Rio in order to literally rip a big armored safe from the wall of the HQ of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida). As radio comic Jerry Cologna said (aging myself here), “Ah, something new’s been added”. Turns out that part of the big chase was Hernan’s son, Dante (Jason Momoa), who took a dip as his pop was offed. And now we’re back to today as Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) hosts a big outdoor feast for his visiting grandmother Abuelita (Rita Moreno). Oh, and it’s also a going away party for the agency-backed mission in Rome lead by, appropriately, Roman (Tyrese Gibson), aided by Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Han (Sung Kang), and, of course, Tej (Ludacris). All seems right until they get a surprise late-night visitor, former enemy Cipher (Charlize Theron), who is badly wounded. Seems that she and her crew were ambushed by Dante and his squad. Dom contacts his man with US intel, Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) who has no knowledge of the Rome mission. It’s a set-up, a trap! It’s off to Italy for Dom and his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who arrive just in time for Dante’s frame job. The Toretto crew is thought to have unleashed a big explosive device that almost levels Vatican City. Letty is nabbed, while Dom embarks on a globe-wide hunt for Dante, with the new agency head Aimes (Alan Ritchson) in hot pursuit. Luckily Mr. Nobody’s daughter Tess (Brie Larson) believes in Dom, as does brother Jakob (John Cena) and a reluctant Shaw (Jason Statham).

The action is so, well, F&F, it’s tough to focus on principal performances. Of course, the lead is, once again, Diesel, who is the anchor and father figure to his “famlee”, offering sage advice and mentorship to “little B’, a bit of romance to Letty, and snarling retorts to all the baddies. And the main one this time is the scenery-chewing Momoa, who seems to truly enjoy channeling his “dark side” as the gleefully sadistic Dante. Imagine the crossed DNA of the Joker (one scene actually recreates a bit of the 1989 BATMAN) and Fabio (could this be his audition for DC’s “Lobo”). Although many of the one-liners are “groaners”, nobody can accuse him of “phoning it in” even as he seems too “campy” for a fellow avenging his father. Theron gets to go more villainess in the last act, while MCU sister Larson flexes her martial arts chops while engaging in verbal showdowns with Ritchson. Coming off her recent triumph in the D&D flick, Rodriguez is a full warrior queen. Cena scores some laughs as the affable protector of Dom’s nephew, while Statham flaunts that surly attitude as Shaw. Naturally, we get to see Gibson and Ludacris bicker and squabble in bits that were tiresome three movies ago. And it’s nice to see screen vets Moreno and Helen Mirren even though they have little to do other than lend their still white-hot charisma.

The traffic cop in the director’s chair this time out is Louis Leterrier, who is able to keep the film moving even as it slows down for some exposition that builds to another “can we top this” action set piece. And that’s in between the many locale changes, swiftly going from Rome to LA, to London to Puerto Rico and Portugal, with a side trek through the frozen tundra. What’s truly surprising is that the script, for one scene as Aimes gloms over the history of Dom’s crew, actually goes “meta” even veering into satire as it embraces the absurdity of the stunts (monitors behind Aimes replay clips from previous entries). So, yes they know it’s some goofball…stuff. It’s odd that they start with a sequence from FIVE since that’s the one that perhaps began the “break from reality” along with physics and gravity. And I know these flicks are review-proof since anyone that’s been exposed to the franchise knows what they’re “getting into”, despite what will probably be an irritating final act (at least they’re placated with a nifty mid-credits scene). If you approach this with the proper frame of mind, you’ll enjoy the wonky excess (and I’m including Momoa) of FAST X. For the rest of us, at least it’s well short of three hours. Whew!


2 Out of 4

FAST X is now playing in theatres everywhere

Brie Larson, Iman Vellani And Teyonah Parris Star In First Trailer For THE MARVELS

(L-R): Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan and Goose the Flerken in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.

This morning, the first trailer for Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels” debuted on “Good Morning America”.

In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.”

The film stars Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe Ashton and Park Seo-joon. Nia DaCosta directs, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Mary Livanos and Matthew Jenkins serve as executive producers. The screenplay is by Megan McDonnell, Nia DaCosta, Elissa Karasik and Zeb Wells.

Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.

Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels” hits U.S. theaters on November 10.

https://www.marvel.com/movies/the-marvels

THE MARVELS. © 2023 MARVEL.

See Jason Momoa And Vin Diesel In FAST X Big Game Spot

L to R: Vin Diesel and Daniela Melchior in FAST X, directed by Louis Leterrier

Watch the thrilling Big Game spot for FAST X, hitting theaters May 19.

Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began.

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.

In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.

Brie Larson is Tess in FAST X, directed by Louis Leterrier
Jason Momoa is Dante in FAST X, directed by Louis Leterrier

https://www.fastxmovie.com/

Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.

Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron.

The film also features an extraordinary new cast including Oscar® winner Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Richtson (Reacher) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and legendary Oscar® winner Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto.

Fast X is produced by Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Justin Lin, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Samantha Vincent. The executive producers are Joseph M. Caracciolo, Jr., David Cain, Chris Morgan, Amanda Lewis and Mark Bomback.

Win Free Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of JUST MERCY

Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” the “Creed” films, “Fruitvale Station”) and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx (“Ray,” “Baby Driver,” “Django: Unchained”) and Brie Larson (“Room,” “Short Term 12,” “Captain Marvel”) star in “Just Mercy,” an inspiring drama that brings one of the most important stories of our time to the big screen.

Award-winning filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (“The Glass Castle,” “Short Term 12”) directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote, based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling memoir.

“Just Mercy” is based on the powerful and thought-provoking true story of young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the main testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings, as well as overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system— stacked against them.

The film opens on January 10.

Enter for your chance to win two free passes to the St. Louis advance screening of JUST MERCY. The theatrical sneak preview will be on January 8 at 7pm.

Leave your name and email address in our comments section below.

This film is rated PG-13 for thematic content including some racial epithets.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

https://www.justmercyfilm.com/

CAPTAIN MARVEL Lands in Blu-ray Collections June 11th – Check Out This Bonus Clip

CAPTAIN MARVEL, the spectacular, 1990s-era Super Hero adventure, which electrified and inspired audiences worldwide and surpassed $1 billion in ticket sales, has been available on Digital in HD and 4K Ultra HD and Movies Anywhere since May 28, and lands on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD™ June 11.

Check out this bonus clip:

Arriving home with extensive line-up of extras detailing the development of this highly anticipated addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), “Captain Marvel” includes Featurettes that highlight the transformative journey of Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) and her character’s impact on audiences around the globe; the influence of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) on significant events within the MCU; the perfect pairing of directors Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck; the ongoing conflict between the Skrulls and the Kree; and the raw talent behind the fetching feline named Goose. Viewers also gain access to six deleted scenes, director commentary, a gag reel loaded with funnies, flubs and Flerkens, and never-before-seen concept art and production photography. 

“Captain Marvel” comes packaged in various formats to best fit today’s varying consumer desires. Viewers can bring home the film two weeks early on Digital 4K Ultra HD, HD and SD and gain access to two exclusive features, including a behind-the-scenes visit with the Visual Effects team that makes the filmmakers’ visions of the MCU come to life and an inside look at the epic team effort that goes into an action-packed sequence within a Marvel Studios film. A physical copy of “Captain Marvel” is available as either a 4K Cinematic Universe Edition (4K UHD+Blu-ray+Digital Copy) or a Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray+Digital Copy), granting fans the flexibility to watch on devices of their choice.

BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):

Blu-ray & Digital:

  • Alternate Movie Versions
    • Movie with Intro – An introduction by directors/screenwriters Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck.
    • Movie with Commentary – Commentary by directors/screenwriters Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck.
  • Featurettes:
    • – Follow Brie Larson’s journey as she joins the MCU, and see what it takes to be a Marvel Super Hero in every sense of the word.

Digital Exclusives:

  • Journey into Visual Effects with Victoria Alonso – Experience how filmmakers’ visions of the MCU come to life on-screen through the skill of the Visual Effects team.
  • What Makes a Memory: Inside the “Mind Frack” – What does it take to craft an action-packed sequence for a Marvel Studios film? Nothing short of an epic team effort!
  • Concept Art – Explore artwork from “Captain Marvel” and trace the visual development of characters.
  • On-Set Images – Uncover a trove of behind-the-scenes and production photography.

Set in the 1990s, “Captain Marvel” is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that introduces the MCU’s first stand-alone, female-franchise title character—Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel. When we first meet Danvers, she already possesses her superhero powers, having left her earthly life behind and become a member of an intergalactic elite Kree military team called Starforce, led by their enigmatic commander, Yon-Rogg. But after Danvers has trained and worked with the Starforce team, and become a valued member­, she finds herself back on Earth with new questions about her past. While on Earth she quickly lands on the radar of Nick Fury, and they must work together against a formidable enemy in the form of the Skrulls—the notorious Marvel bad guys made even more dangerous by their shape-shifting abilities—and their leader, Talos, who is spearheading a Skrull invasion of Earth.

Based on the beloved Marvel comic-book series, first published in 1967, “Captain Marvel” stars Academy Award® winner Brie Larson (“Room,” “Kong: Skull Island”) as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel,  Samuel L. Jackson  (Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “The Hateful Eight”) as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Mississippi Grind”) as Talos, with Annette Bening (“American Beauty,” “20th Century Women”) as Supreme Intelligence, with Clark Gregg (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) as Agent Coulson and Jude Law (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”) as Yon-Rogg.

The film also includes a talented supporting cast that features Djimon Hounsou(“Blood Diamond,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”) as Korath, Lee Pace (“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”) as Ronan, Lashana Lynch (“Bulletproof,” “Brotherhood”) as Maria Rambeau, Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Humans”) as Minn-Erva, Rune Temte (“Eddie the Eagle,” “The Last Kingdom”) as Bron-Char, Algenis Perez Soto (“Sugar,” “Isolated Victim”) as Att-Lass, Mckenna Grace (“Gifted,” “I, Tonya”) as Young Carol Danvers and Akira Akbar (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as Monica Rambeau.

Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (“Half Nelson,” “Sugar,” “Mississippi Grind”). Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Patricia Whitcher and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The story is by Nicole Perlman & Meg LeFauve and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and the screenplay is by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet.

Directors Boden and Fleck’s creative team also includes director of photography Ben Davis (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange”), production designer Andy Nicholson (“Gravity,” “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”), costume designer Sanja Hays (“The Fate of the Furious,” “Star Trek Beyond”), editors Elliot Graham (“Steve Jobs,” “Molly’s Game”) and Debbie Berman (Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”), visual effects supervisor Christopher Townsend (Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”), special effects supervisor Dan Sudick (Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Black Panther”) and composer Pinar Toprak (“The Angel,” “The Challenger”).

CAPTAIN MARVEL – Review

Who’s needing an escape from this seemingly never-ending Winter? Though it’s still a few weeks away, many schools are already “out” for “Spring break”. If you’re not getting that respite for a while, how about a short getaway? A weekend or perhaps just a couple of hours or so revisiting someplace fun? It’s been a long, long eight months away, but I’m not alone in looking forward to another trek into the more-than-a-decade-old “MCU” (Marvel Comics Universe, though I prefer “Marvel movie-verse”). Things were looking pretty dire for our fave “super-folks” last July when Ant-Man appeared to lose many of his friends to the body-dissolving “snap’ of the mad Titan, Thanos (from the Avengers flick of late April). Is there no hero to challenge that fiend? Buy your ticket, strap yourself into a seat (in front of the biggest screen possible), and look for that red, blue, and gold comet streaking past the stars. She’s finally here, CAPTAIN MARVEL to the (box office, hopefully) rescue!

This fantastic fable begins as something of a mystery. A recurring nightmare awakens a blonde young woman (resembling an Earthling) who peers out at a sparkling city (the subtitles informs us that we’re in the alien home of the Kree). The woman called Vers (Brie Larson) is soon at the front entrance of “living unit” of Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), her commander/trainer. After a brief combat “work out”, he sends her to a meeting of the Kree Supreme Intelligence, which assumes the image of someone important to the visitor. Verse recognizes the mature woman (Annette Bening), though she doesn’t know her name (Vers’s memories are scrambled, flashing by in unexpected images). The SI gets her ready for a new mission. Along with other members of an elite military unit, Vers will rescue a Kree undercover operative with information about a deadly alien race of shapeshifters (they can assume the form of anyone they observe), the Skrulls under the command of the ruthless Talos (Ben Mendelsohn). When things go badly, Vers is captured and brought aboard a Skrull ship. Luckily she steals an escape pod and crash lands on planet C-53 AKA Earth in the year 1995. Her arrival attracts the attention of two rookie government men, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). When a squad of Skrulls attacks, Fury is convinced of the otherworldly exploits of Vers. Eventually, the two hit the road, but their mission to stop the Skrulls takes a backseat to the revelation of the true origins of the powerful Vers. Is she more than Kree?

The talented Larson (can it be just over three years ago she earned the Oscar for ROOM) is a most formidable and complex addition to the MCU’s roster. Though she glides through a mental fog in the opening sequences, she projects a confident, powerful physical presence in the frenetic action set pieces (and that spiked mohawk helmet that pops on while is space looks fierce). It’s when she’s back on terra firma that Larson shows us the warrior (um, warrior-hero) has a vulnerable side, as that fog peels away she’s more human and open. On all worlds, she’s got a sassy spirit, with a quick wit rivaling that ole’ web-spinner. Plus she “plays” well with others, particularly with Jackson as a very different Fury. Along with his youth (another great MCU digital ‘lift’), Nick ‘s more upbeat with that surly glare a dozen or so years to come. We see Nick thinking quickly, on the run, showing us the reason he was put on the ‘fast track’ by the agency. Plus he has a wonderful “buddy cop movie” rapport with Larson, with the “fish out of water” roles reversed over the course of the story. Vers is perplexed by 1995 LA while later Fury feels way over his head, perhaps thinking that this alien…stuff…is way above his pay grade. Their on-the-road banter just crackles with energy (much like somebody’s super-charged fists).

The duo’s supporting players are superb. Law exudes great gravitas as a Kree riff on Mr. Miyagi (with a touch of Obi-Wan) who’s impervious to Vers’s humor. Mendelsohn has this “effete sneering baddie” thing down after the hat trick of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, READY PLAYER ONE, and, ugh, ROBIN HOOD, but this gifted actor has some real surprises “up his sleeve” making the demon-looking Talos more human than his Earth-disguise of Agent Keller (played with the right awkwardness). Benning ‘s having a lot of fun switching personas as the Kree SI, and later in that image’s source, always with an intelligent focused demeanor. Making a great impression is Lashana Lynch as the warm, gregarious Maria Rambeau, a young mother who may be able to sort out Vers’s visual flashes (Akira Akbar, as her daughter Monica, has a natural charm). Gemma (CRAZY RICH ASIANS) Chan has a great snarky sense of contempt as Kree cohort Minn-Erva. Oh, and there’s some more MCU vets. Gregg (after toiling away on TV for several seasons) is back on the big screen as a younger, but still button-down, Agent Coulson. And from the first GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, there’s future sullen, somber temple guard Korath (Djimon Hounsou) and the not quite crazy (well on his way though) Kree Accuser Ronan (Lee Pace).

Following in the footsteps of the skilled Russo (Anthony and Joe), another duo shares directing credits, wife, and husband Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Oh, they also worked on the screenplay with Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Meg LeFauve, and Nicole Perlman. Much as with the Russo and several other MCU filmmakers, this is the first big effects “blockbuster” from Boden and Fleck after a string of impressive smaller character films (HALF NELSON, SUGAR, and a little gem MISSISSIPPI GRIND), and the two also impress here. The pacing never flags, and they find the right tone for the action showdowns and comedic interludes. Unfortunately, many of the those action scenes are set aboard dimly-lit spaceship interiors and one is on a dark, foggy planet surface. Unlike the weird worlds of the last Avengers epic and the Guardians flicks, it’s hard to tell what’s going on (it made SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY a real visual ordeal), even with the weaponry that temporarily lit things up (swords, gloves, and rayguns). I can only imagine how tough the 3D “upconvert” would look. Then there’s the feeling that the story seems “lite”, as in MCU-lite, after the grand adventures of last year’s AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR and BLACK PANTHER (even the size-changing hijinks heist that was ANT-MAN AND THE WASP). There was a true dramatic scope to those, while it’s difficult to get truly emotionally invested in a galactic conflict (though it is a nice metaphor for some long-running conflicts on this planet). Then there’s the time frame. Like many “prequels” it’s nearly impossible to whip up real concern over characters that must survive for the previously seen flicks. In that way, much as in the above-mentioned SOLO, we get some “origin-style” back stories that are mostly fun but come close to being contrived (what happened to Fury’s left eye). Still, that mid-90s era is good for some chuckles, from a defunct retail chain to the frustrations of new tech. And those tunes which aren’t as inspired as the Guardian’s soundtrack and in one case hammers home the themes of female empowerment. Still, those brief flashes are powerful, as we see Vers growing up and having to contend with a roster of awful (as opposed to alpha) males (from big brother to papa to a leering co-worker). This film’s not just a “place-holder” or a break between acts of the Thanos saga, but it never rises to that dramatic level. Even at that, this is miles above most action film franchises, so for a breezy bit of fantasy fun (and a long overdue female-driven Marvel movie…really Black Widow should’ve had two solo flicks by now) take a star-filled ride with the movies’ new super-charged superhero (guess heroine is out of step), CAPTAIN MARVEL.

4 Out of 5